First World War Flying at Fowlmere Airfield originated during the First World War. In 1918 (the last year of the war), the airfield was used by three
Royal Air Force (RAF) squadrons,
No. 124 Squadron RAF,
No. 125 Squadron RAF, and
No. 126 Squadron RAF.
Flying cadets of the
Air Service, United States Army were trained at Fowlmere by RAF instructors, prior to their cadets being deployed to the
Western Front. By 1923, the deserted hangars and assorted buildings had been demolished.
Second World War Royal Air Force use Mk 1 being re-armed between sorties at Fowlmere, September 1940 During the Second World War, Fowlmere was a satellite for
RAF Fighter Command at nearby
RAF Duxford and was used by 19 Squadron with
Supermarine Spitfires along with:
United States Army Air Forces use When the airfield was turned over to the USAAF, Fowlmere was expanded to meet the requirements of a complete fighter group. The airfield was assigned USAAF designation Station 378 It was allocated to the
United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force fighter command. USAAF Station Units assigned to RAF Fowlmere were: • 314th Service Group • 467th Service Squadron; HHS 314th Service Group • 331st Service Group • 464th and 465th Service Squadrons; HHS 331s Service Group • 18th Weather Squadron • 72nd Station Complement Squadron • 861st Engineer Aviation Battalion • 1178th Quartermaster Company • 1786th Ordnance Supply & Maintenance Company • 989th Military Police Company • 2120th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon The
339th Fighter Group arrived at Fowlmere from Rice AAF,
California on 4 April 1944. The group was under the command of the 66th Fighter Wing of the VIII Fighter Command. Aircraft of the group were identified by a red/white chequerboard pattern.
Postwar Royal Air Force use With the departure of the Americans following the end of the war, Fowlmere was used by
No. 11 Group RAF RAF Fighter Command until January 1946. It was then closed and placed into care and maintenance status, before being sold back to local farmers in 1957. The airfield's concreted areas and buildings of were ground into
aggregate and sold for use in local construction projects. ==Current use==